What are Hyperbaric Chambers?
Hyperbaric chambers are enclosed pods or spaces that surround a patient with a high-pressure atmosphere that’s rich with oxygen. The chambers were initially used to treat those with injuries like the bends (decompression sickness) from scuba diving or space travel, or to treat victims of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Its applications spread to other health conditions over time, while celebrities and the very wealthy started to seek out hyperbaric oxygen therapy for themselves. They saw it as a possible anti-aging therapy and overall health booster.
A treatment session in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber normally lasts between one and two hours. There are two types of hyperbaric chambers: one-person treatment units are clear tube enclosures called “monoplace chambers” in which the patient is on a bed that slides into a chamber of pure pressurized oxygen.
A second chamber is for several people, called a “multiplace chamber.” Here, several patients lie on beds in an enclosed room that is pressurized with air. Meanwhile, each person in the chamber wears an individual oxygen mask delivering pure oxygen.
How Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Improve My Health?
Oxygen is one of the natural elements that is absolutely critical to human life. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy ensures that the bloodstream is temporarily rich with oxygen. An increased supply of oxygen in the blood can give the immune system a boost in fighting off infection, and in creating stem cells.
That’s why today hyperbaric oxygen therapy is more widely available and being used and tested on a wider number of health conditions. You can find it offered at a variety of medical clinics and medical spas.
However, some for-profit clinics make extravagant health claims about the therapy that aren’t yet supported by research. It is important to check which conditions are actually shown to benefit and which aren’t, before committing to an expensive series of treatments.
Hyperbaric Oxygen and Skin Health
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment is a boon to dermatologists in treating skin injuries that don’t respond to other treatments. It is currently used to treat wounds that won’t heal, patients with skin grafts, burn victims, those with diabetic foot ulcers, and cancer patients with radiation-damaged skin.
The therapy delivers more oxygen to the cells and tissues, which in turn promotes the growth of new blood vessels and cellular repair. Oxygen is also important to the immune system to fight off infection, and is often lacking in injured areas that suffer from reduced or damaged blood circulation. Since oxygen also helps prevent infection, as well as reduce inflammation and swelling, some plastic surgeons prescribe the therapy after surgery.
In a few studies, research shows that hyperbaric oxygen may help reduce the symptoms of eczema and psoriasis, specifically inflammation, swelling, and oozing during a flare-up. Proponents claim that the therapy can also help those with acne by helping reduce acne-causing bacteria.
However, hyperbaric oxygen therapy requires more research to show whether it can reliably treat symptoms of eczema, psoriasis, TSW, acne, and other chronic skin conditions in a significant percentage of patients. Research is also needed on whether it addresses the root cause of these diseases or whether it can only offer mild, temporary relief.
While we wait for more peer-reviewed research, it is an option for those who have not seen results through other treatments.
Risks for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Risks from hyperbaric oxygen therapy are rare, and it is generally considered safe. However, those with lung conditions, high blood pressure, seizures, certain heart conditions, or ear and sinus conditions, may face serious health risks with hyperbaric treatment. It is also not advised for those with claustrophobia. There is also a list of medications that are contraindicated when under hyperbaric oxygen treatment, so be sure to discuss the treatment with your doctor first. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment isn’t affordable for everyone. In the United States, hyperbaric oxygen therapy can cost between $200 and $1250 per treatment. Access to the therapy also requires a prescription from a healthcare provider.
Conclusion
While not strictly a natural treatment, hyperbaric oxygen therapy does use natural elements (air pressure and oxygen) in a generally safe manner to deliver healing for specific serious health conditions.
In terms of skin health, it is a solid treatment option for those suffering from skin ulcerations and wounds that won’t heal, and for those with skin damage due to radiation treatment. For chronic skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, and TSW, however, it remains an adjunct treatment rather than a first line of care, since there is a lack of research in this area.
While it shouldn’t be seen as a panacea, we’re excited to watch the research grow on new applications of pressurized oxygen therapy, especially in the field of dermatology.
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About the Author
Olivia Hsu Friedman, LAc, Dipl.OM, DACM, Cert. TCMDerm, is the owner of Amethyst Holistic Skin Solutions and treats Acne, Eczema, Psoriasis, and TSW. Dr. Olivia treats patients via video conferencing using only herbal medicine. Dr. Olivia is past chair of the board of directors of the American Society of Acupuncturists, serves on the Advisory Board of LearnSkin, and is a faculty member of the Chicago Integrative Eczema Group sponsored by the National Eczema Association.